Wrench



P. NOTARIANNI Sept. 6, 1932.

WRENCH Filed Jan. 17, 1931 INVENTOR $266226 jl gimkzzzm';

Patented Sept. 6, 1932 LIUNITED STATES PASQUALE Nomi-3.1mm, or mam; MICHIGAN I .applicatioirnled Jam-y 17, 193i. Serial no." 599,439,:

The invention relates to improvements in wrenches and particularly to an improved demountable adjustable pipe wrench.

An object of the invention is to provide an 5 improved pipe wrench with a readily adjustable interchangeable gripping jaw.

Another object is to provide an improved wrench with means to facilitate adjustment of the gripping jaw with one hand.

Another object is to provide a wrench of the character referred to which is inexpensive to manufacture, will withstand hard usage, and is arranged to grip positively an object.

The foregoing and such other objects of the invention as will appear hereinafter as the description proceeds, will be more readily understood from a perusal of the following specification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of the improved wrench.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the improved wrench, partially disassembled.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken on line 33 of Fig. 1. V

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of a gripping jaw shank, showing serrations thereon.

Pipe wrenches, or Stillson wrenches as they are commonly termed, of the usual construction, necessarily require the use of both hands to effect adjustment of the gripping .jaw. The capacity of such wrenches also is limited, thus necessitating keeping on hand a 5 complete set of such wrenches consisting of various sizes. 7

The improved pipe wrench hereinbefore referred to, is of such a construction as to require but one hand to efiect instant adjustment of the gripping jaws. The improved construction also provides for substitution of one of the gripping ,jaws with similar jaws of different sizes, hence a single body portion and a plurality of interchangeable jaws constitute acomplete set of wrenches.

As shown, the improved wrench. consists of a substantially rectangular body 11 having a handle 12, preferably formed integral therewith, extending from one end, and sharp teeth or serrations 13 formed on the other end. A

3 etal yoke 14 straddles the rectangular 'body 11, and is p'ivotally secured to'said body'by a pin 15, which extendsv throughthe body and the parallel side wallsl6 of said yoke'. The

intermediate portion-17 of said'yoke bridges theedge 18 of the body 11 and is spaced a suit able distance therefrom, as'shown.

The shank 19 of a detachable gripping jaw 21 is adapted to be inserted between the intermedi'ate portion 17 of the yoke l l and the body-edge 18 Thehead 220i said gripping jaw overlies the 'end'13 ofbody' portion 11,

said 'head having'. serrationsor teeth 23 formed thereon to cooperate {with' those on the body to grip an obj e'c'ttherebetween. The

shank 19 of the grippingjaw21is provided on its outwardly dis'posede'dge' with a' l'o'ngi;

tudinal groove 24: into which extends the free endof aleafjspring 25,secured on the under side of the intern ediateportion 17 of the yoke 14c, whereby said gripping'j aw is held yieldingly againstthe edge 18 of the body 11. The yoke 14 is removablyheld in place over the shank 18 bya suitable pin orscrew 26,vvhich. A extends through the side walls16 of'saidyoke and an opening27 provided therefor adj acent the forwarde'nd of the-b'ody11;

' A trigger member 28 is mounted within an irregular slotted opening 29-extendinglaterally through the body portion 11;Upon

reference "to Fig. 1, itwill'be noted thatthe.

trigger member? 28 preferably comprises a head 31j having. large transverse serrationsor teeth 32 on its outwardly directed facegand an intermediate portion '33 which extends longi tudinally in the 'slotte'd"openin'g' 29l and is curved, at 3 1,:"substantially at right angles to saidintermediateportion to provide a finger piece '35, which extends through an opening 3(u' ina suitableclosure plate 37 mounted over said slotted opening. A pin 38 anchored in body 11 extends through an arc'uate slot. 39 in trigger'member 28 to retain saidv member in place, and af suitabl'e' compression spring 41. normally retains" said trigger inthe position showmwith its head portion 31 project'- ing beyond the edge 18 of the body 11.: The serrations'orcteeth 82 areadapted to cooperate with, similar serrations orteeth 42; providedonjone jface of shank-19- to hold securely the gripping jaw 21 in any adjusted position, relative to the body 11.

Adjustment of the gripping jaw is attained by engaging the operating finger 35 with one finger of the hand holding the wrench, and upon drawing said operating finger toward the handle, the head'Sl ofthe trigger member is moved into the body 11, thus disengaging the teeth thereon from the shank. The thumb of the same hand is then placed upon the knurled portion 43 provided adjacent the free end of the shank, and the gripping jaw is moved longitudinally of the body 11 to in crease or decrease the distance between the. gripping faces 13 and 23. After adjusting the gripping'jaw, the finger piece 35 is released and the teeth 32 again; engage teeth 42 to hold the gripping'jaw adjusted It will be noted that the trigger pivots upon the curved portion 3 1 which seats in the similarly curved end of the slotted opening 29. 3

As shown in Fig. 1, the serrations 82 and 42 areangula'rly disposed transversely of their respective parts to insure proper gripping and relieve the strain imposed thereon while the wrench is in use;

v It can readily be understood that ajwrench constructed in the manner described in the foregoing may readily be adjusted, with one the teeth on said shank, a finger piece on said triggerextending outwardly of said handle on the side opposite to said shank, means to guide movement of said trigger including a fixed pin and'a slot arrangement, and a spring operating to retain normally, the teeth on said head in engagement with the teeth on said shank to prevent displacement of said shank.

In testimonywhereof I aflix my signature.

.PASQUALE N OTARIAN N I.

hand, and by removingthe screw 26 the yoke V A 14 may be swung about its pivot 15 substantially to the position shown in Fig. 2 to allow for the removalof the gripping jaw 19 and insertion, in its stead, of one of a different size. The entire device is of simple, strong construction having few working parts.

Although an exemplary form ofthe improved wrench has been shown in thecaccom panying drawingand described in detail in the foregoing specification, it is to be understood that certain modifications in detail structure may be embodied therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended'claims. I claim:

I 1.' A wrench comprising, in combination, a handlehaving a fixed jaw, a yoke pivotally secured to said handle adjacentsaid jaw, a movable j aw. having a shank insertable through said yoke, teeth on said shank, said handle having a slot therein, a trigger in'said slot, a head on said trigger, teeth on said head, a socket in'one wall of said slot providing a bearing surface for said trigger, a finger piece on said trigger extending out of said slot througha cover plate thereover, a spring between said trigger, adjacent the head, and the cover plate, adapted to urge the teeth on said head into engagement with the teeth on said shank, and a pin in said handle passing I through a slot in said trigger to guide said 

